Ugly Messages.....GQ/Esquire....Hoodlums.... Yeah, I Hate Teachers Too....So, I am Gay?

 The app on the computer decided we needed to listen to Manchester hoodlums this morning. Oasis, The Verve......I don't know, Manchester is not one of my favor British cities. I need to click on the app and list what I want to listen to this morning....And all of a sudden it plays " Blue Oyster Cult." 

No, I was somewhat surprised at the numbers the blog received on yesterday's blog.  Normally the first few weeks after school lets out for summer, readership on the blog is " Dead Time" not many hits, but yesterday proved otherwise. It is somewhat surprising....

I got a couple of ugly messages from Buna ISD apologists yesterday. Making all sort of excusing for the hiring practices of the school district.  Trouble is they are on the teat of the district. I would defend as the Chinese would say, " My Rice Bowl" too. 

Again, I receive so much mail, especially lately, I have a hard time answering like I should. 

Some folks just write to vent, and that is okay. I read what you say and understand. I get aggravated too.  

-I received a message a couple of days ago from a ex-student upset about how she was treated subbing at  school..... How mean the teachers were....

Come on, school is just like any other workplace. 

Most of these people you don't want to see during the Summer Break, or any other time. There are dynamics in a school that most of you don't or won't understand unless you are actually employed by a school district. 

Yeah, you like the kids, and it is SUPPOSED to be why you are there, but still, it is a job. A way to pay the mortgage.  And psychologically you have to treat it that way. 

I have a theory on teachers, and I will not disclose it for fear of insulting about 3/4th of my readers. Maybe one day. 

 - I went down the rabbit hole of GQ and Esquire magazines, both published by the same company. At one time I subscribed to both.....And this morning, I read both the American and the UK versions.

Other than a story of the " Full English Breakfast" it was nothing but slop.  ( Full English- fried egg, bacon, sausage, potato patties( hash brown) mushrooms, tomatoes, baked beans, Black Pudding, some form of bread....In Scotland, haggis, in Northern Ireland White Pudding( No fooling, White Pudding and haggis done right are almost religious experiences.).....In the UK I have one for breakfast, every morning. Get that bad cholesterol level up.)

No suits described in the American version, and barely discussed in the British version.....It is mostly was watches, and how to dress sloppy like the celebrities. One article was on " How to Wear a Baseball Cap." Do, I need to be told how to wear a ball-cap?   I've been wearing one for 68 years. 

- Finally,two different people  unhappy with me wrote and called me " Gay." 

Yes, I have gay friends, but I am not gay.  

That said, I saw the latest Sperry Topsider boat shoes video ad...I swear the male in the commercial was wearing rouge. 

I've been rocking Sperry's since I was in seminary. So 45+ years.  

I don't know, I get called all sort of things in a backlash to the blog.  

Just another day of writing the blog....

-Thanks for reading, and as always, all information is read and researched. As always. it will remain confidential.  

 

What the Cornbread #@^& is This Position Buna ISD?????

 Warning- I swear badly in this one....I will try and use the Northern Irish pronunciation on certain words.....You know....Me people.... 

 I am trying to get to heaven Buna Independent School District. I really am. 

But you pull this shit......I got angry just reading about the job. 

What the cornbread feck does a Buna ISD need a " Dean of Students" for? 

Do you really need another damn administrator?  

This is something like rich a "Prep School"  in Houston, like Cathedral High School, or Strake Jesuit would have, and part of that is to get their kids into Harvard or the University of Chicago......Stanford......Carnegie Mellon.....

Buna High ain't a prep school, yeah, when the Govteach was there I taught like it was it was a college preparatory class, but I am a not a normal teacher. I had such a poor background for college, well," Dammit to Hell Lamar Gene" I was not going to let that happen to y'all.  

And I did it with with a SE Texas flair, after all, I am one of you, even though I don't admit it....Often....Go to England, and I turn up my East Texas accent. It is a conversation starter.  

Everything I read about the position just reeks of more micromanagement..... The more people you hire, the more people you seem to need.....

Buna, you are the smallest high school in your football district..... 

I don't know, if I had the position, I think I would walk around campus just to pat teachers on the back and tell them" You're doing a hell of a job." At this point, just getting people to teach school in 2026 is difficult as it is....

Stick my head in the history, government, and see if they needed some help with the lesson. ( I am afraid I might take over the lecture........So, I can't stay long....)   

But, is Buna ISD raking in so much feckin' tax money that we can just spend on whatever looks cool? Feckin' sounds good? 

Y'all need to get control of y'all's damn school...I am tempted to take the money I was offered to run a campaign....Go full Donald Segretti ( Look him up) in the campaign......(Okay Kerry, we're trying to stay out of Hell here.......)

I don't know man........ Maybe I need to stop.

Thank you Jesus I am on SSRIs.... 

 

 

 

Well, I Have Gone Soft.......I Was Never a Fan....But......

 I have never been a fan of Jane Austen. No, do not care for Mansfield Park, or Pride of Prejudice. Not a  romantic 'comedy' fan of the British Regency Era. 

Then again, Mansfield Park is pretty dark.  

No, we have gotten hooked watching That Other Bennet Girl on Britbox. 

A 10 episode show, again, a play off of Austen's Pride of Prejudice about the less attractive sister in the family. There were 5 sisters total in the Bennet family, no boys. 

Of course, the show is all speculation and they probably consulted some Austen scholar and had them sign off on what Jane Austen may have actually wanted, if she had written such a book. 

Yeah, another let's make stuff up....

That said, the show is pretty good. I am even hooked watching. 

As I said, takes place in the Regency Era.

The Regency Period 1795-1837, was the time period that George III was at his craziness. ( He needed lithium) 

Yes, same King George during the American Revolution. 

Parliament declared George III unable to rule and appointed his heir, George, The Prince of Wales to appointed to fulfill royal duties.  

Historically, for an Anglophile like myself,  this is a fascinating time period. 

Not not my favorite, as I love to read/study about Tudor-Stuart England, Victorian-Edwardian England and recently, pre-Norman 1066AD invasion England, the old Anglo-Saxons. 

It was the time of Beau Brummel. AKA George Brummel, was a man who was the first dandy/fop of the time we would understand. Example Brummel would spend an hour a day just tying his tie.( caveat) Spent most of his £30,000 which was big money for this time, mostly on clothes.  The men in the TV show all dress like Brummel. 

It was the time of the "Wicked Brothers" All of the royal Princes were seen as either deviants, or cretins.

It is the time of Percy Shelly the Romantic poet, and his wife, Mary Shelly, who wrote Frankenstein.  It was the time of Lord Byron, another poet, and you need at one time in your life read his biography, or at least watch the 4 part series on Byron on YouTube by historians Tom Holland and Dominic Sandbrook. Hell, I need to write a blog on Byron. Holland and Sandbrook call their show The Rest is History. 

But back to the show.......It is the Number 1 rated show on Britbox right now and a new episode drops every week, and we are at 6 out of 10 being released at the moment.  And I am not an Austen fan, nor a romance novel, Hallmark TV movie person, but so far, have enjoyed the show. 

If you have the app, I suggest you give it a look. I myself am surprised at how much I have enjoyed the program.  

 

Okay Buna, I Can't. I Just Cannot......I Wish I Could, But, No, Just No....

 I have already written a blog this morning on a totally different subject.......Probably will publish it later today.It is a bit different......This time of year, I can branch out on my subjects. 

And I have an orange cat laying on a table half-asleep while I write, acting like he is paying attention. I think he's hoping for me to play a little more Jimi Hendrix. The other day " Fire" was playing by Hendrix, he looked at me like, " Man that's pretty cool." ( My old friend Jo Griffith would be proud of me this morning, I am playing the old British rock band Trapeze this morning. Their song Black Cloud was a standard back in the old days 107.9 FM KWIC, which was the local Rock Station long before KIOC Bigdog 106 even was a thought.) 

I have been approached by a couple of people who are seriously looking at running for Buna ISD Board of Trustees ( School Board) in the coming election in November.  

Both wanted help in running for the office. 

Now both have asked me how to run a campaign, not that I sort of know what is going on in one.....Sorta.....Not an expert. 

One even offered money for me to help......

I do not think either understands how hard it is to run for office. You got to be to every festival, every fish fry, church fund raiser, ballgames, etc.....Got to get name recognition. 

Shaking hands and kissing babies is literal " Retail Politics" especially at the local level.  

The German term Realpolitik,  a political philosophy and approach to statecraft that dictates actions based on practical, concrete power and national interest, rather than on moral, ideological, or ethical premises....And believe it or not it works even on the local school board level. And local politicians often do not understand how to conduct political philosophy for their area. They think they do, but they generally do not.   

I strong suggest you student about Otto Von Bismark's usage of Realpolitik and read Machiavelli's  The Prince before you enter politics.  Hardcore? Yes, but sometimes you need to understand how to run things. 

Trouble is, I am going to tell you something you do not want to hear......And it may make you mad.  

And let's say you get elected to the board.....

What happens the first 6 months you are in office you step right into the biggest pile of manure? Do you want me to give you a pass because I advised you in a campaign? You know good and well, I can't....As a matter of fact because I helped I will be more inclined to go hard at you.  

Can I help you if you get bogged down and get discouraged? Maybe. 

But, there are only a couple of people in America I would help in a campaign at this point in my life.   My brother and a possible reader of this blog, and I think the later has gotten it out of their system.  

No, not looking to get involved in local politics again, at least not in SE Texas.  

 

 

 

 

$250 and Up? And I Jump the Rails....

 I know I write on the economy from time to time on here...........

I read the other day that the average date in America now costs right at $250. 

Over time, trying to wine and dine a young lady, well, I am so dad-gum cheap, the durn Scotsman comes out in me. ( Scottish are notorious cheap people.)  I would still be a single person today if I had to spend that much on a date, and over time, well, no, just no....

I'd just get a dog and now, a cat. ( Who would have thought I would now have another orange male cat?)

I say this, and the woman I am married to is cheaper than me.....Again, one of those foreordained deals. 

But $250 a date.....Nope.... 

I know inflation has hit everything, and I am waiting for it to really get bad this summer. I keep saying I am going to write a detailed blog on oil and why it is going to jump up in price this summer. In a very quick economic nutshell, the oil reserves are being released right now to keep the price of fuel manageable. 

When the reserve runs out, prices are going to jump up. 

I am expecting this in a June-July time frame.  I seriously look for a situation with oil and gasoline/diesel to happen like we had in the 1970s. Gas shortages, gas stations running totally out. you waiting in a long line to get gas. 

I'm going off in the weeds. Watch AI folks, see if they are centralizing all of these AI Centers in an attempt to control our liquid assets, in other words, your money.  What time, what location, and on what product. I can see you not being able to do things like buy books with certain titles. Control travel, want to go to England, they can stop you from buying tickets. If you are in the wrong place, they'll stop it. 

This will be an extension of what we already have in a digital system on money.  Already, I most of you get paid with direct deposit, pay bills online, etc.....I know I still like using the old 17th Century( for Europe, earlier for China,,,,,) technology of paper money and often use it because, in my mind, I can see where it is being spent and how...And the damn government can't see what I am buying....

But cash will be a thing of the past. I can see it gone in my life. Certainly in your life, at least most of my former students reading this blog.  

Remember this when you think this will not occur. 

" Power corrupts, absolute power corrupts absolutely."  

- Lord Acton

Should remind you of something else....... Think about it.......We'll talk about this later if you do not know what I am alluding to....

If you really want me to go all conspiratorial in a blog on AI, let me know. And the thing is, my " children" both of them are way off in the AI world, both with master's degrees basically in AI. But still, I have alternative ideas.....And it scares me to death.  

 

You Never Know, And Upset About Pappadeaux's?

"No one is so brave that he is undisturbed by something unexpected-"

-Julius Caesar  

Once again, I am somewhat shocked by the number of people reading the blog. Yesterday's blog was just a vent for me. Saturday was somewhat bad in travel, in the pouring weather, in several other things including getting behind  multiple accidents, , and my venting about how sloppy people now dress, and apparently can't find soap and water, well, it struck a chord with a number of readers. The number of " hits" was shockingly large. 

And again, I thank you for reading. 

Then.....

There were a few people upset about my " judging" as one put it, your dress, " Like you're Little Lord Fauntleroy."  They had written it as "Your" and "Fateroy."

Sorry, like I don't make mistakes here on a regular basis......Again, I hate to proofread. Too much like grading papers and I am retired. 

Again, there are people who just look for stuff to gripe about concerning the blog, and well, I am to the point, if I do not receive some sort of blow-back, well, I need to try harder.  

 

 

Biggest D*mn Mess.....And You SETX People, We Got to Do Better.....

" No good Deed goes unpunished. "

I am reminded of the Dutch Anabaptist Dirk Willems who in 1569,  had escaped from jail, and turned around to save the guard who was chasing after him and had fallen through the ice. Helping the guard allowed others to capture Willems, who was later executed for being an Anabaptist. ( You Baptists need to do a little history on your ancestors...Read some of the works of the church history professors at SWBTS.)  

I hate going to Houston. 

Let me repeat. I hate going to Houston. 

We got stuck traveling to Houston on I-10 for 3 hours behind wrecks. 

3 hours.  

Stopped, could not move, in-between the concrete barriers.  

Might not have been so bad, but about an hour in, I needed to pee like a racehorse. 

We finally, got moving, and stopped at the Stuckey's at Hwy 365. We'd not even left Jefferson County. After we " Checked Out the Facilities" we received a phone call from Deb's brother in Houston and he tells us, not to come, it is flooding over here. It was already late and there were more wrecks we had to navigate before we even got to Houston.....

We came on back down 365 to Nome, and drove down Hwy 90 to Major Drive and decided,  let's eat at Pappadeaux's.   

I was surprised at the number of people eating raw oysters. 

It's not a month that has " R" in it. 

Then again, I taught with a man who when he was at university did some research on the mollusks and I never eat raw oysters or any raw shellfish anymore.  And I used to eat them like I had sense....

Then, I was somewhat shocked at how trashy people dress now. I was not dressed up, as we had planned to change when we got to Houston, but good night above, SE Texas, we can do better. Especially you men. You ain't at home pulling a transmission in the backyard. 

I know.....I know......I am from here. I should be used to it by now, but, I still am not..... 

 

 

 

 

 

I Already Was Told I Was Going to Hell.....May as Well, Make Them Think So....

 High Church blog, playing Mozart, Bach, Vivaldi this morning....Fred is looking at me, like...." Don't you got anymore of that Jimi Hendrix?" 

“Growth is the only evidence of life.” 

 

- John Henry Newman

 

John Henry also said

 

“To be deep in history is to cease to be a Protestant.” 

 

And I am deeper, much deeper in history than the average person, but I ain't leaving the Protestant church.

 

So, you are reading this this morning and saying, " Well, it was going to happen, the Buna ISD is going to push Mr. T over the top, and here we are..... "

 

No, I have to go to the fashionable Galleria section of Houston this evening for an evening as a member of my extended family is converting to a form of Catholicism, well, I have written on in graduate school. 

Follow Kerry Thomas's ( Yes I like to possessive my last name with the spelling Thomas's with a double s.  And don't care, as 3 generations ago, my great-grandfather changed his last name, a story I need to write on some day.)    

 

My wife's nephew is converting to Catholicism tonight at the Cathedral set up for former Episcopalians/Anglicans, to convert to the Catholic Church. The Pope even set up a special  Anglicanorum coetibus to establish  Cathedral of Our Lady of Walsingham.( It is named after a town in Norfolk, England, and no, the Thomas's have not been to Norfolk.....Perhaps the next trip. I really want to go to Whitby on the east coast, site of part of Bram Stoker's, "Dracula"/   We've beaten Western England to death.).... They have an Ordinaraite Form of worship recognized by the Catholics that is more Anglican in nature. The cathedral is in charge of all churches who do an Anglo-Catholic for of worship in the U.S. and Canada.....Yeah, I know, I lost you. And I am trying to keep it simple and not add footnotes. ( Citations for you uneducated)

 

Since the Oxford Movement in England in the 1800s, there has been a flirtation by some Anglicans/Episcopalians with a form of worship called Anglo-Catholicism. Some of these Anglo-Catholics, stay associated with the Anglicans/ Episcopalians, some go on and convert to the Catholic Church. John Henry Newman an Oxford University Fellow who wrote on this, I won't go into details, was an Anglican priest who converted and became a Roman Catholic priest. Thus my mentioning him in my opening quotes. 

 

And this Cathedral is for those who worship in an Anglo-Catholic style and remain within the good graces of the Pope. 

 

Here is Kerry Don Thomas's view......The priests are allowed to be married in this form of Catholicism. I think the priests are finding a loophole to be Catholic priest and still have sex....That's a hill I will die on....

 

I wrote about this movement in graduate school. And I am just curious.........And don't jump on me because I am going to a Catholic Church. About a half of my aunts and uncles on the Thomas side married Catholic and converted, and I don't see a big deal. Never mind I have ran with Catholics all my life. 

 

So, because of the conversion, it gives us an excuse to attend. And no, the nephew isn't originally Episcopalian, he grew up Baptist. 

 

It should be interesting..... I know, I ain't right.....And I am certainly not converting to the Church of Rome. 

 

And I will get ugly messages just because I darken the door of a Catholic Church... 

 

The real question is this. 

 

What do I wearing?

 

A Brooks Brothers navy blue pinstripe suit? Look like I am about to address the House of Lords?

 

A khaki suit, Ralph Lauren, with light blue Prince of Wales checks? 

 

Or what I leading towards, my favorite check sports coat, a Ralph Lauren Purple, silk/wool combo,  looks academic, bow tie, straw fedora, look I am someone. They will until they see we will be pulling up in a Subaru.  

 

I've already pulled out a couple of combos and had them on Reid's bed to see which shirts, ties to wear with each....We shall see.......This is what happens when you are a fop/dandy and own over 150 ties.....

 

 

 

 

 

    

 

 

Buna Graduation.....And Other Stuff.......

 Man, the computer has decided to play Jimi Hendrix this morning....Fred looked over and closed his eyes like, " Man, that's pretty cool...." 

Graduation is tomorrow night.  I am going to assume it is going to be tomorrow evening in the activity center or whatever it is called now instead of the football stadium. Not going to lie, with a 70% rain chance on Friday.......

I hope for all concerned it isn't that long. I know when Tandy and I were doing it, we kept it under an hour. I know my nephew said that Fort Stockton High had their graduation last week and the graduation ceremony was right at 2 and 1/2 hours and the school really isn't that much larger than Buna.  

Last May, we went to a fancy Northeastern school graduation with a 5% acceptance rate, they got done in about an hour. They even had a Chinese guy playing the pipes.( That's bagpipes for you non-Scotsmen.) And the Vidorian came out in me and I told my wife, " I wonder if Andrew Carnegie is rolling over in his grave?" I really got into trouble when I said out loud in front of the auditorium which is a memorial to Civil War vets with Union soldier statutes in the front.....I said, " I wonder if that Yankee sumofabitch shot at one of my great-great grandfathers. " 

I got dirty looks and  was told to be quiet......

If you have a kid graduating, tell them enjoy right now. seniors often do not understand how much their world is about to change.  

-Stay dry, it is raining it looks like SE Texas for the next week. I know we forget, but this is a wet part of the world from time to time.  

-- Time to time, I wonder what historians will say about this time period 250 years from now....Then again, won't be any of us around to know. And ai will probably write it. 

Then again in 250 years, will anyone even care?

- I know today is the last official day. 

Enjoy summer folks. I have a bad feeling when school starts back in August, we will be looking at a different world, at least economically.  The reserves are keeping oil, right now, from jumping up to $150. to 200......I know I have spoken to someone already talking about cutting back on a vacation/ Maybe go to Padre Island and call it even. 

 

 

The More I Hear About Buna.....The More I am Disgusted....

 
"Man thrives were angels would die of ecstasy, and pigs would die of disgust" 

--Kenneth Rexroth 

I seriously do not know what to do anymore. 

I am often just overwhelmed with information. So much, I often can't reply, or if I do, it is late and often short answers. 

At some point it has to get better. Or, it will just come all apart. 

More and more I am hearing of board members just having enough, and are not running for re-election, and rumors of members having enough that they are allegedly  just not wanting to attend the meetings of the board. They are that disgusted with all that is the Buna ISD in 2026.  

I know the school year ends this week and I wonder how many people will return in the 26-27 school year with their kids? Or how many will look at homeschool or Evadale or Dewyville, Vidor, LCM as worth a look for moving their children?  

Many of you will enjoy the Summer Break and forget about the school district, and in August hop and decide then when and where you are moving or not moving your kids. 

If you are moving, now is the time to be doing your changes. Don't wait too long. 

Now is also the time if you've not already started for teachers in the classroom to find other jobs. The time is short. Wait too long and you'll be back for another year. Perhaps you somehow think it'll be better next year?  I thought that too, it never really changed. I am wondering how much the economy is going to effect teaching jobs in the coming years?

Likewise if you are thinking about running for the school board, time for you to make a decision is soon. It is going to be a mess when you get there and if you plan to run, plan to fight for you think needs to be changed. It is gong to be one of the hardest jobs you have ever encountered, and you must do research on your own, not just let someone "tell you" what is going on.... 

 

" Mr. T, I Hope the State of Texas Takes Over the Buna School"

 I  am getting more and more of these type of messages including a couple and I am paraphrasing here.... What would it take for the Texas Ranger to come in and investigate the Buna Independent School District? And as one message I received put it..." I know it is not what we really want, but in the end, will it save us?" 

I look at both the Houston ISD and the Beaumont ISD and cringe at what is going on there, and go...." Man, do we need that, or somehow an outside auditing source to come in and look at the money/finances instead?"  

I know in Watergate the inside source known as Deep Throat supposedly told Washington Post reporter Bob Woodward to  " Follow the Money."

Of course, when it boils down to it, nearly everything revolves around money. Sad....But true....

_ I know many of you patron and especially parents have "Had Enough" Many of you are starting to file reports with the Texas Education Agency( TEA) concerning actions and possible legal or illegal actions concerning the school district. 

There are people in the community getting stirred up to the point they are doing something about the district, not just complaining, but are going those extra steps. 

I've heard from patrons who are seriously looking at running for the board, and in November, there will be 3 position up for  election.....Now is the time to decide to run. 

- Someone was wondering why I was "griping" about likes on Facebook.  I do not think you know how much it helps readership, especially for my intended audience. The algorithm on Facebook is controlled by the likes, so much and helps me reach viewership. No one 'likes' and the number of hits are down. And I know who likes, loves, etc. the blog. And I SO appreciate it. 

And I know some of you cannot let people know you are reading.  We appreciate your readership. Some someone wrote me this past week and told me that they could not like for fear of what someone " at the church might think of them...."

Don't get me started on the church.....I wrote/am writing a blog on religion in 2026, including Buna and religion.  I am still polishing up, trying not to make too many people mad. Perhaps, I should not even care?  

- I number of you have told me that I need to somehow monetize the blog.  In the past, I had a Pay Pal link on the blog page, but I removed it because people who really should not have been given me a donation, were. I know I give it back to them at Christmas so they could get their kid's gifts, and get a hen, or ham for the holiday. ( I prefer a hen and dressing over turkey.) 

So, if I put a Venmo or Pay Pal wiget on the blog, don't feel like you must donate.  If I get enough to buy Mrs. Thomas and myself a pizza, Fred a bag of 9lives, well, thank you, and if not, thank you for reading. I am certainly not doing this to get paid. I am trying to fight what is more and more looking like a @ Lost Cause.@ 

- I was going to write more information in this blog, but I will save it for a future publication. I don't know where it will lead, and to be honest, I keep receiving information on the future topic, and it is changing what I planned to write. 

- Finally, if there is one thing I need more than anything else, please remember me in your prayers. 

Blog writing is often a hard, pay-less, often thankless labor. 

If I know there are people speaking to the Divine on my behalf, it helps a great deal. I do not think you know how much. I know many of you are not people of faith and if you would just think about me positively from time to time, just knowing you support me, well, it helps, a great deal.  Especially when you are feeling like you are out on that limb alone. 

 
 

 

 

 

I Get Chewed Out " Big Time" By Buna People in the Last Few Days.....

 And there are people reading the title getting so excited they are wetting their pants thinking it is members of the " Clique." (That according to the " Clique" does not exist.) But instead, it is regular blog readers. 

Sometimes I feel like Michael in the " Godfather III" being pulled back in.....BY the way, that is the only decent part of " Godfather III" it's the worst movie of the Godfather Trilogy. 

Again, I get to speak for people who cannot afford to speak openly. And to be honest, there are times I feel like I should not, and this is one of those times. 

The new principal at the high school, while being "sold" as an outsider, actually has ties to the ISD. 

Her father was my principal, my last principal when I was still working, and to be honest, he let me do whatever I wanted to do down in the senior end. It wasn't like I was going to execute an out of control senior, but I really pushed it to the limits until I realized, " Kerry Don, you can retire in 2011, you better not push that envelope too hard and blow it within the grasp of victory" ( retirement)....So, I took my foot off the petal. A little anyway. Those were the old " Glory Days" of what was referred to as the " Cuss Porch." ( There was less cussing going on than most people know. It was a good place to talk with seniors about anything from " Mr. Thomas, am I graduating?" To things as " My sister , (whom I had also taught, ) is dating a sorry, worthless guy, who uses her as a sex toy." He was bringing his friend over to have sex with her...." ( We got her away from the sorry so & so.)

I digress.  

So, we are now hiring his child like they have no ties to the school district......AND.......

Look at the family tree......Look at the board.......How are we doing this? ........Are they really the best choice or is this another " Brother in Law" deal, which the school district is notorious of doing????? 

One of y'all need to say something.  

Even if it is legal, and way I read it, it is not, I have questions there........AND....

It is a bad look. 

Really bad. The elected official should resign. And the patrons of the community should be asking for their resignation....

I am going to talk a little about an event that happened to me right before the school district which I retired from hired me low those many years ago. 

I so wanted the Gov/Eco position at the school I graduated from in the 1970s. I interviewed for it in the early 1990s when it came open. my curriculum vitae( CV) looked good. I had taught AP European History, AP US History, AP Macroeconomics, I had the certification, I had double digit years of experience. My first round of interviews went well. I knew I was going to get the job. 

Between my first and second round of interviews, I found out about another candidate.....They had a surname I did not. They were in the " clique."  

My Mom and Dad are/were ( Dad has since passed) wonderful people. They are in an area not associated with the " Clique." The music world, yes, but political, school, they are not. Never mind my mother taught 4th and 5th grade for 39 years. My Dad, was not a politician. He saw them and phonies, and while he is correct in that sense, it doesn't help in the real world. Sad, but true. It is part of the reason my brother had to move 350 miles away to run for office. Again, sad, but true, he had to make a name on his own, without attachments. 

The district of course hired the other person with " The Name." 

Not going to lie, even though I knew it was coming, I was crushed. I cried alone in the dark for about a week.  

It was 3 weeks later the district I retired from called and went through 3 rounds of interviews. I went in dressed up like a member of the House of Lords, pinstriped suits, and in truth, did not give my best interview. I sort of needed a job, but if I don't get hired here, well, there is another school up the road. 

And dadgum if they did not hire me....A job I expected to stay at for a year, at most.....I stayed 20. Until I retired. My late hardcore Presbyterian Grandfather would say, " You were foreordained."  

You may say, " Well, it worked out for you" but in many cases, it doesn't. And leaves many more questions than answers.  

And they might become the best principal the district ever had....But how it occurred, well it has questions....

As one patron of the community, the ISD wrote me...." I think we have we and more importantly, who we voted for has lost control of the district."  

Another wrote " We certainly are paying a lot in property taxes to be the personal job bank for people with ties to the district." 

 

 

 

 

 

Okay Buna ISD Parents, Patrons....It is your Turn to Get " Chewed Out"

 I generally get upset with leadership at most school districts because say what you want, most of those in the upper echelons of any leadership, they are looking to do two things, move to their next job, make more money. Just like in the business world.  

And say what you want, they will often throw people under the bus in their move towards a better job, more money. I'm sorry, but I have seen teachers, other administrators , even kids and parents tossed under that proverbial bus to improve their position in the education field. I was literally shocked when I first started teaching. 

By the time I got to Buna Schools, I had learned to " game the system" often doing so to try and take care of mostly the kids. 

I made Machavellian moves behind the scene most of you never knew about and trying to take care of my seniors, well, I made plenty of enemies, but so many people in the school business especially in the leadership forget why they are in education.  I almost came to blows( Literally) with believe it or not female teachers who started teaching as a secondary field in the life, and probably should never have been in teaching to start with. They just did not understand the job. They shouldn't have been there. And so many people today just do not understand while, yes, it is a job, they didn't understand there is more to it than doing "just enough" to collect a paycheck.

-  Parents, patrons, you are paying a lot to the school district in property taxes. A shocking amount. 

And so many of you just pay and say nothing. You don't question where in the world the money is going, why certain people are hired, why certain things such as building were promised in school bonds you all voted on never materialized. ( Where is that theater, UIL quality that was to be built in what now is a rock parking lot that extends behind the stage at the activity center. Where did the funding wind up going? Look at the stage next time you are at a ballgame. It is all step up for plays, UIL State of Texas sanctioned plays////UIL Band sanctioned Sight Reading and Concert Contests..... Where is the auditorium? ) ( Allegedly coach threw a fit because he wanted a new court to play that season rather than wait for the activity center to be completed. Band, choir, theater kids, and there are more of them than athletes apparently are second class citizens.) 

I am starting to hear more and more parents upset believing that the entire ai scandal is being being scapegoated. That we will never know the truth. That " Buna ISD is just another government entity hiding the truth." 

So, Mr. Thomas, Govteach, Kerry, Kerry Don, where are we going here? 

I can't do this alone. My job is to point out what is happening. Write opinions. 

It is your job to do something about it. 

Raise Cain.  

Go to school board meeting. Question what is going on. Speak at board meetings. And DO NOT TRUST ANSWERS.....Do some research yourself. 

Run for the board. And if you get elected, don't just " Go along, to get along."  If you don't get elected, run again.....Sometimes you need to keep running. 

As Euripides the Greek philosopher once said, " Question Everything, Learn Something."   

"Sometimes you must break some eggs to achieve a specific goal ; and it may get messy. "

 

Writing This Blog for Myself

 For you newbies, I do this on a rare occasion. I write on something most of you have absolutely no interest......Sorry. I can't always write on the same thing. 

Today is election day in the UK. 

Local elections in England. For what they would call councils. 

In Scotland, election for the Scottish Parliament, known as Holyrood.  

And in Wales, an election for the Welsh Parliament.  

The people in the UK are upset with the Prime Minister, Kier Starmer and the House of Commons, which is controlled by the Labour Party which is the party of the left in the UK. 

Since the National Election in 2024 in the UK, people almost immediately became upset with the Labour Government controlling especially the economy and immigration policy. Labour had been put into power because the Conservative Party, known as the Tory Party, had done a bad job on both economics and immigration. And had controlled Parliament for 10+ years. 

In Scotland, there is a movement for Scottish Independence. And there is a party in Scotland that basically is as we talked about in government class, a " One Issue" party. To gain independence from the UK. 

That of course is the Scottish Nationalist Party. Or SNP. 

Odd group and while many members are Center-Left in their political leanings, there are conservatives within the SNP> An example of that was the first movie James Bond himself, Sean Connery, who was a SNP elected member of the Scottish Parliament, and was at one time a Tory.  

If they win today, one of the first things I look for them to call for is an election calling for the independence of Scotland from the UK. This will be the second independence referendum, the first one failed in 2014. 

Trouble is, I do not know, if the economics in Scotland is strong enough for they to keep from going broke....

I visited a political " center" for the SNP when we visited our 3rd time to the UK and picked up some " goodies" while there. If I had been still teaching government, they would have " appeared" in Room 22. 

In Wales, the party of Welsh Nationalism is the Plaid Cymru....Which simply translates to the " Party of Wales." 

They too are seeking Welsh independence.  The national legislature in Wales is called the Senedd. 

 Plaid Cymru  is leading in the polls as I write this blog. 

Not to confuse things and to keep this somewhat simple, there are relatively new parties in the UK that have really increased in popularity over the last couple of years.....If they win, we will write on them later this week, but to avoid too much confusion, we will only discuss the  Plaid Cymru and the SNP today. 

I know I will be listening, watching the British media this evening watching for result.....We'll let you know....  

  

 

Getting Rich in Buna ISD?

 It has been a while since I have received as many links either from emails, texts, private messages, etc. 

And this one was the link to the story on KFDM Channel 6's website concerning the pay of local Supt. of Schools. 

Of course, you work for a government entity, then you are subject to the taxpayer knowing how much you earn in a year.  

And to honest, that is the way it should be. 

So, I got to thinking....Who in government makes less than the Buna ISD Supt. of Schools? This according the US Government and the State of Texas....

Who makes less?

All salaries are per year.  

Your 2 US Senators at a salary of $174,000.....

Your Member of the US House, also at $174,000...

Gov. Greg Abbott $153, 750....But he does get a nice house to live in.....

All 31 members of the Texas Senate- $7200

All 150 members of the Texas House- $7200

But the members of the Texas House and Texas Senate only work 140 days every 2 years.  And they get a per diem every day they are in Austin.....But it is still less than $20,000.....And that is generally only in one year. 

I know a District Attorney in charge of 4 counties, one of which has about double the population of Jasper County, has a large staff he is in charge of, and most of his employees must have law degrees, must be a member of the Texas Bar..... He makes less. 

And he can put you, and has put people on " Death Row." ( "You can't think too much about it, other than remember what horrible crime the person committed to be sent there.")

( By The Way, little known fact, District Attorneys are paid by the State of Texas, not the counties they represent.) 

Now I know MOST Supt. of Schools now have Doctors of Education,  but don't get me started on the number of school administrators places like Lamar University or East Texas State( East Texas A&M now) "churn out like cord wood" now.....Don't get me started on the value of any degree today, and the British are saying the exact same thing about receiving degrees from Oxbridge....( That's Oxford and Cambridge)( I'll get mail on this paragraph....)

And as my friend, Tommy Mayhood always said, "the farther away from kids you get in education, the more money you make. "

The thing is, I wanted to be with the kids. I literally loved being the Gov/Eco teacher at Buna. Even for " 30 pieces of silver" I wouldn't take an administrative job. It is how much I loved being in the classroom. I know this is odd, but I literally looked forward to going to school. ( And people always ask this, " So why did you retire ?" Two reasons, I felt myself not being as good as I once was in the classroom.....And I wanted to travel while my health allowed me.)

I know the Supt. of Schools in Texas can negotiate their pay. And I know it is often a difficult job.......Just something to think about today. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Buna Let Me Remind You......Teachers, Parents....

 ¹ To all things there is an appointed time, and a time to every purpose under the heaven.

² A time to be born, and a time to die: a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted.

³ A time to slay, and a time to heal: a time to break down, and a time to build.

⁴ A time to weep, and a time to laugh: a time to mourn, and a time to dance.( Why did the Baptists hide this from us?)

⁵ A time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones: a time to embrace, and a time to be far from embracing.

⁶ A time to seek, and a time to lose: a time to keep, and a time to cast away.

⁷ A time to rent, and a time to sow: a time to keep silence, and a time to speak.

⁸ A time to love, and a time to hate: a time of war, and a time of peace

Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 1599 Geneva Bible( The Bible that the Pilgrims carried with them to the New World)

 -  I know I should not have used an entire Biblical passage to start my blog, but this well, it came up first thing this morning. 

- After prayers this morning, I decided to take a look at the positions that are now open at the Buna Independent School District, and while there are several, I look for more to occur between now and the start of the 26/27 school year. They always happen. 

 Let me remind you teacher, yes, you like what you do, yes, you like the kids, but, it is a job. It is how you pay the rent, your mortgage. 

If you are unhappy, don't think the Buna ISD is owed something by you....It is not. You were looking for a job when you found the one you have now. 

Any school district will discard you like an old sock with a hole in it. 

Sometimes, many times, you need to change school districts until you find the right fit....Or perhaps in 2026 you realized the education business is not for you. 

Sometimes you need to get out of a district for your mental health.  

I see an opening right now at the school in which they had a teacher and somehow politics gets involved and the position is now open...I will talk about this, during the summer break. 

I seriously wonder if Mr. Thomas was teaching in 2026 how hard they'd be trying to " get rid of me?" And don't think they wouldn't. There were more people than you know glad to see me gone when I retired.  

-  Parents likewise. You have kids, you have a responsibility to get them some form of education, and if the local school district is not providing it, once again, you need to step-up. 

Sometimes you need to move out of the district. 

Sometimes you may need to teach the kids at home. 

Sometimes you need to give the school district in which you reside absolute hell.  

While there are sometimes bright people in school districts, there are often people running the place who don't have sense "God gave a goose."  And never mind many just do not understand Politics 101. Never mind any of them having read Machiavelli's " The Prince."  ( And that might be a good thing.)

It is basically 3 months before the new school year starts again, if you need to make a move, now is the time to get it in gear and do something. Don't wait.  

 

Again, It Could Be Worse....Bad Kids? S*x?

 And the computer is confused this morning.......playing a combo of Billy Joe Shaver( Got to love "Ragged Old Truck") Crosby, Stills & Nash, and Renaissance composer Claudio Monteverde's music. 

It is May. 

It is perhaps the roughest month to teach school. The kids right now are worthless. They don't wanna do nuthin'.

STAAR Exams are done....( Is anyone wondering if the commotion that occurred during the exams will have sort sort of affect on the scores? You know the school is concerned, especially for the high schoolers taking tests.)  

The kids can see the end. Teachers can see the end. 

And I say this as a former teacher that classroom teacher is tired, there is no tired like the month of May for teachers. 

Senior teachers have been fighting Seniorities for weeks now.  

Teachers, you got less than 3 weeks. You got this.  

( If you are planning on leaving the district, heck, any district, now is the time to be looking. )

- There were several people who were concerned about " sexual reference" I was included within....

Hey, it is the cost of writing blog. Doing so I have made myself a public figure( Even though I unless there is a trip to Houston, Lake Charles, England, Scotland in a trip, I hardly even leave the Compound here in Lemonville.) and I am subject to such. Probably more than you know. I get some humdingers I really should post. I really just go on because if I stopped every time I got insulted over the blog, well, there are not enough hours in the day. 

It is sort of why I have not started a podcast. I wonder what type of " Fresh Hell" that will bring? ( That said, looking at perhaps moving the parts of the blog to Substack....Monetize? Perhaps somethings? Or not?)

It is a concept that our political leaders and school officials especially local ones. do not understand. Lead a political organization , a taxing entity, you are subject to flak. Sorry, you just are, don't get mad, fix whatever you messed up. Don't get mad especially at your patrons paying for the district. They have a right to criticize you. That's what that Amendment 1 is all about. 

That said, thank you for worrying about my well being.  I need all the prayers and moral support I can get. 

- Okay, I had planned to take a few days off before the school situation(s). I am going to try and take off a few days that way, things will get stirred up and I will be writing every day.